PAULINE FAMILY

Fr. James Alberione is the Founder of the Pauline Family consists of five religious Congregations, four Institutes of secular life aggregated to the Society of St Paul and one Association of Pauline Cooperators.

In the order of foundation, first comes the Society of St Paul. The Society of St Paul was founded on 20th August 1914 at Alba, Italy. It is a Congregation with Pontifical approval. The members of this Congregation can be priests and brothers. The specific apostolate of the Society of St Paul is to spread the Christian message and human/Christian values through the means of communication.

message and human/Christian values through the means of communication.
The Daughters of St Paul(DSP), a congregation with pontifical approval, was founded on 15th June 1915. Like the Society of St Paul, they too carry out their apostolate through the means of communication. In a male dominated society, Fr. Alberione dared to call women to share in the mission of evangelization using the means of communication. Venerable Tecla Merlo, the first Superior General, played a pivotal role in the growth and development of the Daughters of St Paul. With her human qualities and virtues, she became a perfect collaborator with Fr. James Alberione.

The Union of Pauline Cooperators (UnioneCooperatoriBuonaStampa) was founded in 1917. Their apostolate is to cooperate with the apostolate of the Pauline Family. The Union received its approve from Mons. Re, the Bishop of Alba on 29 September 1918.

The Pious Disciples of the Divine Master (PDDM) was founded on 10 February 1924, having a three-fold apostolate of Eucharistic Adoration, Priestly Service and Liturgical Service. It received its Diocesan approval on 3rd April 1947 and Pontifical approval on 30th August 1960. Venerable ScolasticaRivata deserves a special mention in the growth of the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master.

The Sisters of the Good Shepherd(Pastorelle) was founded in the year 1938 for pastoral works in the parishes and dioceses. They offer a comprehensive pastoral service in the parishes in strict collaboration with the parish priests.

The Sisters of the Queen of Apostles(Apostoline) were founded in 1957 at the request of the Holy See to foster vocations. Their work consists in praying for vocations, identifying them, sustaining their perseverance using the means of communication. For this end, they organize weeks of recollection, spiritual retreats, conferences; they prepare leaflets, posters and books for promotingvocations. This mission is not limited to the Pauline Family but to the whole church.

Institute of St Gabriel the Archangel(Gabrielini) had a very inspiring beginning. Many laypersons supported the activities of the Society of St Paul from its very inception. Some of these people desired to live a life of evangelical councils. The realization of this Institute took place only in 1958. The members of the Institute live the evangelical councils but without leaving family and work.

The Institute of Annunciation(Annunciatine) is for women who intend to seek sanctity and promote apostolate. They are consecrated women who staying in their family and at their work, without wearing a special habit, live in the society to make the presence of Christian living especially in the areas where priests are unable to reach.

The Institute of Jesus the Priest, meant for diocesan priests and bishops, was approved on 8th April 1960. By associating themselves with the Society of St Paul and accepting the evangelical councils, they desire a more intense priestly life and apostolic involvement especially with the use of the means of communication.

The aim of the Institute of the Holy Family is the sanctification of the married couples through the faithful practice of the evangelical councils lived according their status of life. They cooperate with the Pauline apostolate according to their possibility. Their specific commitment is the education of youth in the parish and to encourage the couples who find themselves in crisis.

The particular goal of each Institute converge in the common goal of the Pauline Family “to live and to give Jesus Christ to the world as he defined himself: ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life’.”

We celebrate the feast of our Founder, Blessed James Alberione. Along with my Team and all in the Provincialate, I join you spiritually to celebrate the event meaningfully. I pray that God our loving Father may shower his choicest blessings on all of us and on all the apostolic activities of our Province through the intercession of our beloved Founder.

Our Province has just celebrated the Chapter on the theme “Do everything for the Gospel”. Alberione employed all his energies to the spread of the Good News in all its forms with all means that were at his disposal. Though physically weak he was moved by the Spirit of God to leap in to the unknown for the sake of the Gospel. May the vision of our heavenly Founder inspire us to greater commitment in our mission. May his determination to do something noble to the men and women of his times challenge us to personal renewal and may his indomitable spirit inspire us to be and to do everything for the Gospel.

Have a wonderful and grace-filled celebration of the feast. Stay blessed always.

Kindly keep our Brothers in Nigeria in your special prayers. May the Good Shepherd be close to them during these days of pain, sorrow and loss.